Nick Kyrgios continued his impressive run of form before this month’s Australian Open by powering the host nation to the mixed-team Hopman Cup title against Ukraine in Perth. Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova, playing for Australia Green, one of two teams representing the host nation, won their singles matches in straight sets, against Alexandr Dolgopolov and Elina Svitolina respectively.
Kyrgios, who defeated Andy Murray during his four-match winning run, brushed aside the challenge from Dolgopolov 6-3, 6-4 after the 36th-ranked Gavrilova had opened with a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) win over Svitolina.Australia’s only Hopman Cup title came in 1999 while the last time they reached the final was 13 years ago.
The victories at the Perth event will boost the confidence of the world No30 as he prepares for the first grand slam of the season beginning in Melbourne on 18 January.
In the Shenzhen Open final, Agnieszka Radwanska celebrated her rise to No4 in the world rankings with a 6-3, 6-2 thumping of Alison Riske, the Pole’s 18th WTA career title.
Radwanska had ensured she will replace Maria Sharapova in Monday’s rankings by reaching the final in China and backed that up with a routine victory. “I think Alison was really playing solid tennis today,” Radwanska said: “She has a very powerful game from the baseline – I was really struggling from the baseline. I was really in a lot of trouble there. But my serve really helped me. Also, in the deciding points, I was a little bit better and I think that’s why the score was the way it was – it made it look easier than the actual match was.”
The Pole did not drop a set in her run to the title and her triumph will increase her confidence as she builds towards the Australian Open, after a spectacular end to last season.
Radwanska showed steady improvement throughout 2015, winning titles in Tokyo and Tianjin before she claimed her first WTA Finals championship in Singapore in November when she overcame Petra Kvitova in three sets. The former world No2 will now head to Sydney for her final warm-up before the first grand slam of the year. “It’s the beginning of the year, so we’re all fresh compared to the end of the year. I’m feeling good,” she said.
“Also I have a bye there (Sydney), so I’ll have a couple of days off right now.” Aljaz Bedene missed out on a place in the final of the Chennai Open after losing his semi-final in three sets to Croatia’s Borna Coric. The Slovenian-born Briton lost 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 to the eighth seed. Bedene, whose only appearance in an ATP Tour final was in Chennai last year, broke three times compared to his opponent’s four in a match featuring 24 break points.
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